Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-07
GETTING PEARLS.
THE YRrNcH PEARL HIsHYRIEs II
The PACIFIC OCEAN.
An Interesting Description Of How Solid
lied Dew Drops are 0btained-An
Important Industry.

Herald:
The other day had quite an inte-
restingsconversation with M. Bouchon-
Brandely, who was sent out to Oceanlca
by the Government to study what is the
best means of preventing the exhaus-
ton Of the beds OF pearl-bearing oys-
ters in the French possessions. His
opinion now is that these oysters can be
cultivated in parks and by artificial
formulation by the same system that
is Low applied to the edible bivalves.
Tie pearl and mother-of-pearl bearing
oysters are also unisexual, and they can
be replenished artifcially in water from
two to four feet deep; afterward they
can he placed in beds, where they are
to develop to maturity.
Pearls have been classified into seve
| raj divisions, all of which depends on
their place of origin, on their bril-
liancy, on their color, on their form,
Oh their weight, end on their dimen-
sions. There are white, gray, black,
lilac, pink, blue, and yellow pearls.
As to form, they are called bar
roques," or irregular shaped "pears,"
or pyriformed; buttons" or fattened
at one end, and "virgins," or para
CONS, the perfectly round and most
highly esteemed of all. Few intrinsic
| things have a market value more varia
bic than do pearls, as the price de-
ponds largely on fashion and the
prevailing taste OF the day. When
pearls are small and ordinary
in other particulars they are sold
by the trade by weight; but if
they are of unusual size and beauty,
then they are sold separately, according
to their estimated value. France owns,
in the archipelago of the Pacific Ocean,
the greatest pearl-fshing grounds that
exist in the world, there being only
eight islands out OF the eighty which
compose the group on which the pearl
hearing oysters do not exist. Never
theles,, these fisheries are very far from
yielding the revenue which England
gets out of her Indian possessions. Not
only are the French islands less pro-
ductive, but an entirely different sys-
TEN is observed. England either
works hers herself or farms them
out at a heavy rental, while France
permits anybody to fish for pearls, and
makes no attempt to collect tolls or
other charges. The Tuamota group of
islands have only been French pos
session since 1870, and perhaps the
home government has not yet had time
to study the question and regulate it
properly. As the islands already yield
more than Geo tons of mother OF pearl
annually. it is assumed, judging by
similar fisheries elsewhere, that the
pearls found each year ought to he
worth of least 40. 900. whereas the esti-
mated production is only about $4,000.
The beds have been so badly worked that
il is. indeed, rare to find in them, in
any large quantities, such magnificent
pearls as these with which Queen Po-
mare used TO adom her royal person,
ard which, by the way. was often not
adorned with anything else in the shape
Of covering. Most Of the pearls now
found at Tohiti go to England, Ger
many, and the United States. to the
detriment Of French jewellers. who
employ by far the largest number OF
fine rcaris that are sold in the Eu-
ropean markets, the importation alone
in this country in 1884 being over "a, 900
grammes.
Natives Of the french islands have
no Industry that aware of other than
that of diving for pearls and hacre,
and they are said to show remarkable
skill in their calling. All Of them -
men, women, and children-swim like
fishes. and they have acquired the
faculty Of remaining several minutes
under water. There are three women
WHO are famous throughout the archi-
pelago as pear-divers. They will go
down to the bottom in twenty-five
fathoms Of water and remain under rs
long as three minutes before coming to
tie surface again.
The pursuit is very dangerous by
reason Of sharks, which swarm there
abouts. Divers generally rely on their
skill and agility as swimmers to escape
them, but when unable to do SO, they
do not hesitate to fight, although the
conflict is unequal, and they rarely
escape serious mutilation. NJ. Bouchon-
Brandely told me of woman whom
he saw who had lost an arm and
one of her breasts in just such au en-
counter only fortnight before his de-
parture. When these accidents happen
a panic seizes the divers, and work
is suspended during several days. Not
only is the diving dangerous on this
account. but it is also one OF the
severest trades which mankind follows.
At the opening Of the season divers
are forced TO take precautions OF all
sorts, the first and most important be-
ing not to go down too often duringtae
same day. A neglect OF this rule pro-
duces lemorrhages and congestion OF
the lungs but as he gets more aud
more used to the work he can dive as
often as he likes without any immediate
evil results, though, il the occupation
is followed for too many years, 1t is apt
10 cause paralysis. Very few natives
follow the business on their own ac-
count. Most of them are in the
employ of contractors, who pay
wages Of FIVE francs per day, aud
not infrequently cheat the poor fellows
outrageously. Diving begins at day
break. Before commencing the males
nd females gather into one Of the
oats, and the Oldest or most-respected
person in the boat says prayer, in
which all the others join fervently
/. his done, they row to the fishing
lrcund-I mean diving-water-where
their preparations do not last long.
The only dress of the natives is gar
ment called "parso," and the only
implement used is telescope with
which to examine the sea bottom. This
telescope is composed OF four boards,
each eighteen to twenty inches long
and ten to twelve inches wide, which
are nailed together 50 as TO form a
chamber, one end Of which is covered
with a piece of ordinary glass. This
end is placed on the surface OF the
water, in order to offace the ripples,
and as the lagoons Of the archipelago
are of wonderful limpidity AMI trans
parency, this rude apparatus enables
them TO see the oysters at agreas depth.
My French friend tells me that the
divers of the Pacific Ocean are far
more skilful and expert than are the
Indians employed in the Persian gulf
and at Ceylon. These latter facilitate
their descent by means OF weight OF
~, - 4; xa r,oup1s fast